POINTS FROM LETTERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 260, 2 November 1932, Page 10

POINTS FROM LETTERS.

THE FAITH-HEALING INQUIRY. Your interesting news item reporting that a committee to investigate faith healing in Auckland had been set up gives rise to a certain amount of justifiable comment in view of the fact that the committee is to be composed of the representatives of the Churches and medical practitioners. Xo one can doubt that the chairman of the committee is an able representative of the Church and a man of sterling qualities, but to the onlooker the situation would appear to be somewhat Gilbertian, as the committee will be composed of members of professions which are the age-old enemies of the faith healer. While there is overwhelming evidence that faith healing has been the Eldorado of the charlatan through the centuries, on the other hand the Scriptures give such a direct command to the preacher to combine bodily with spiritual healing, and such convincing testimony of the efficacy of faith healing, that it would be a bold man who would be prepared to condemn outright the preaching faith healer. "Judge not, that ye be not judged," St. Matthew vii. I—in fact, verses 1 to 7 of this chapter —might be exceedingly good advice for the committee •which is taking upon itself such a heavy responsibility. If the exponent of the art of faith healing is secure in divine inspiration, oratorical outbursts will not stem the tide or shake one iota the faith of the healer or the healed. What genuine objection can the Churches or the medical profession have to faith healing in Auckland? Does the exponent of the art refuse to wear a uniform, making broad his phylactories and enlarging the borders of his garments? What of the doctors ? It cannot be suggested that the B.M.A. should be judged by the inability of the profession to eradicate the common cold; on the contrary, all right-thinking people give unstinted praise to the medical profession for the wonderful sacrifices which have been made and the splendid work done for humanity. Nevertheless, churchmen and the medical profession oftimes display an extremely narrow outlook when their privileges are threatened. St. Mark iii. C explains the situation on one hand, while the same gospel, v. 26, throws a revealing touch of humour into the other side of the question. I have stated that the testimony on behalf of faith healing in the Scriptures cannot be shaken; the only essential for the patient to have was faith—vide St. Matthew ix. 28, St. Mark ii. 5, St. Mark v. 34 and 36, St. Mark ix. 23, and many other references. If faith was lacking, then it appeared that the best will in the world could not achieve the objective. Whenever the disciples failed to effect a cure, they were not guilty in the eyes of the Master of anything but lack of faith. There is a striking instance of this in St. Matthew xiv., 28 to 31. Peter walked upon the water at the command of Jesus, but when he saw the wind boisterous he was afraid arid began to sink. Can we possibly suggest that the power of Jesus failed or that Peter was less near to God when he was sinking than when walking upon the water? Decidedly no. It must be maintained that Peter's faith, his will to do, was a sine qua non to the act of walking upon the water; in fact, the whole matter is summed up in the words, "Oh thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt." As faith healing is an established fact, it only remains for each one of us to be convinced that the power of healing was passed on by the Divine Healer. Again, the Gospels leave no doubt on this point, even asserting that the power would not be confined to the disciples or their descendants —St. Mark ix. 38 to 40. VESTRYMAN.